Parents Michael B. Robinson and Sue Hutchins were in the Logan County jail yesterday, and Dana
became a ward of the county.

Six other children -- three sons of Robinson's, two daughters of Hutchins' and another son they
have together -- were taken into protective custody Monday. All have been placed with relatives or
foster families.

John Holtkamp, director of Logan County Children's Services, said his office opened a case with
the couple more than two years ago, but it was closed in December "because the mother had made
significant improvement."

The couple did not live together, but police said Dana had spent Sunday night at his father's
house on the south side of Bellefontaine, 40 miles northwest of Columbus.

A civil-protection order had been in place preventing Robinson from spending time with Dana, his
2-year-old brother and Hutchins' two girls from a previous relationship. But Hutchins asked to have
herself and the boys removed from that order, and the court approved the change in August.

This latest incident unfolded Monday when Robinson, 43, called 911 just before 7:30 a.m. and
said his son wasn't breathing.

"Has he been sick?" a dispatcher asked.

"Yes ... he's been sick," Robinson said. "He fell one day and hit his mouth on a table because
he's trying to walk. Please hurry."

An emergency squad took Dana to Bellefontaine's Mary Rutan Hospital, and doctors there summoned
police.

Police Lt. Ron Birt said Dana "had multiple bruises in multiple areas from what was apparent and
obvious abuse."

Dana was flown to Children's Hospital and put on a ventilator. But Holtkamp said neurologists
reported some activity in the baby's brain and called it "an encouraging sign." A hospital
spokeswoman said Dana was in critical condition.

As long as Dana is in the county's custody, medical decisions will be the responsibility of
Children's Services.

"Should it come to that, the court would get involved, a team of professionals would get
involved and we would undertake that grim task together," Holtkamp said.

The boy's mother likely won't play much of a role. Hutchins, 35, appeared at the Logan County
jail yesterday to attend the emergency-care hearing for Dana and was arrested on a probation
violation.

Both she and Robinson had been charged in 2005 with child endangering in a case that began on
Christmas Day 2004. That's when Children's Services workers were notified that Dana's older
brother, Draven Robinson, who was just 1 month old at the time, had a broken leg. Draven was placed
in foster care but later reunited with his mother.

While that investigation was under way, the couple had a run-in with police in March 2005
concerning the possible abuse of Hutchins' two daughters from a previous relationship.

According to police reports, the 7-year-old girl had bruises on her face, elbow, leg and back.
When a caseworker visited the house, it was found that someone had used heavy makeup to try to
conceal the marks.

In interviews with detectives at that time, Robinson admitted that he had spanked the girl and
gave her "horse bites" when they were joking around but said he didn't see why it was a big
deal.

At yesterday's custody hearing, Holtkamp said, Robinson said things are being blown out of
proportion, and he told the court: "I never said I was a perfect dad. But I'm good enough."